On September 4, a former Blount County Schools employee, Joseph Michael Dalton, pleaded guilty to five counts of offensive touching involving elementary school students at two different schools. As reported by WATE, Dalton's guilty plea comes ahead of his sentencing, set for November 6 according to Blount County District Attorney General Ryan Desmond. The incidents, caught on camera at Friendsville Elementary School and Walland Elementary School, led to Dalton's arrest in January.
Amid the ongoing investigation, Dalton resigned from his position on September 29, 2023. According to WBIR, the Blount County Schools have emphasized their commitment to student safety, working closely with local law enforcement and the Department of Children's Services to preserve a secure educational environment.
The details of Dalton's inappropriate interactions with students were documented in several police reports. As The Daily Times describes, surveillance footage revealed Dalton's actions, which included hugging students too closely, tickling their underarms, and other forms of physical contact that made the students visibly uncomfortable. These incidents involved students between the ages of 9 and 12 years old.
Following the guilty plea, there is a pending review of Dalton's educator license, which was stated active with an endorsement in Physical Education K-12 as of the afternoon of September 4. While some reports referred to him as a coach, Blount County Schools has confirmed Dalton has not returned to the classroom since the charges were brought against him, as noted in his resignation the previous year.
